As The Cannabis Industry Evolves, Terpenes Grow In Importance

Posted by True Blue Terpenes on February 17, 2019

Where does the future of the cannabis industry lie? To say the least, we’ve come quite a long way from joints and acrylic bongs. From near-Michelin Star gourmet cannabis dishes and craft edibles to high-potency THC distillate, the growth of the cannabis industry has been demonstrated with no signs of slowing down. While the medicinal properties of cannabinoids like CBD and CBN are starting to become fairly well-understood, the cannabis plant hosts hundreds of cannabinoids that warrant further understanding and scientific research.

The Evolving Terpene Industry

As the emphasis from recreational toking to medicinal use continues to shift, more and more people are becoming interested in the benefits of terpenoids. As the aromatic building blocks of the natural world, terpenes go way beyond the aromatics and flavor profiles found in the cannabis bud. Indeed, terpenes exist in virtually any plant that contains or produces a fragrance, not just cannabis. Given the sheer number of terpenes and their medicinal benefits - not to mention wonderful aromas - it only seems natural to isolate terpenes from cannabis and other fragrance-producing plants.

Terpenes For Sale At True Blue

Well, that’s exactly what we’ve done here at True Blue Terpenes. By providing the finest strain-specific cannabis terpenes and natural flavorings on the terpene market, consumers are able to get the exact flavor and aroma experience that they seek. And, as always, our cannabis terpenes and flavorings are completely safe for consumption, never made with any synthetic carrier agents like propylene glycol. Additionally, our products also contain no THC or CBD, so these are non-psychoactive products at the highest-quality level. Discover your next favorite flavor by shopping our natural terpene flavors online today!

Terpene Extraction Is Not New

While extracting and isolating various terpene compounds from cannabis resin might be a more recent practice, terpene extraction itself is nothing new in the fragrance industry. Have you ever heard the name Kenneth Morrow of Trichome Technologies? Kenneth is considered among the first to extract terpenes from cannabis, but this idea was largely borrowed from the fragrance industry itself. Indeed, Kenneth is among the original innovators responsible for bringing cannabis-derived terpene isolation to market.

Isolating and Extracting Terpenes

We’re not going to go into extreme depth to the point that this becomes a scientific article. However, what’s interesting is that, as far as essential components are concerned, the processes and technology involved in terpene isolation are remarkably rudimentary. Now, there are multiple ways to isolate and extract terpenes from cannabis, and each method has its own pros and cons. A process like steam distillation, for instance, is effective at isolating the terpenes, but the heat and oxygen involved in the process can compromise the final product, altering the profile.

Of course, there are more effective terpene isolation processes that better preserve the flavor and aromatics - and what would be the point of terpene isolation if these weren’t preserved? Cold trapping, another terpene extraction method, involves vacuum pumps to bring down the initial heat while preserving volatile compounds that would have otherwise been gassed off in the process. Using simple chemicals like nitrogen has and distilled water, cold trapping is actually relatively simple and straightforward as far as safely distilling terpenes from cannabis goes.

Proven Methods With Room For Innovation and Improvement

Distilling terpenes is a common extraction method, though there are multiple methods currently employed by the terpene extraction industry. In a distillation run, the basic premise is to begin passing steam through the cannabis, thereby trapping the essential oils as they gas off at their unique boiling points into a vapor. Then, the terpenes are re-condensed individually into a separate flask to be collected and cleaned for a final run. Ideally, when done correctly and with the help of a vacuum pump, temperatures stay low enough to avoid destroying any essential bioactive compounds.

Again, currently, there are several different ways to isolate terpenes from the cannabis plant, even proprietary and patented systems. Our point here is that the technology and methodology to successfully extract terpenes exists freely on the open market, for the most part, available for any terpene or cannabis enthusiast to experiment with.

Terpene-Based Products

As far as cannabis-derived terpene products go, the products brought to market can largely be placed into two basic categories of extracts. The first is the single compound isolate containing an individual terpene concentration. With single compound isolates, common terpenes found in cannabis like limonene or pinene are usually offered individually. Products like these have multiple utilities, like that of an essential oil blend - the ability to be diffused into the air, infused into fragrant topical solutions, be made into candles, and so forth.

While single compound isolates focus on one particular smell, flavor or terpene profile, companies like True Blue are actually combining isolate terpenes into carefully designed ratios that imitate the profile of a whole cannabis strain. From Sour Diesel terpenes to Blue Dream terpenes, consumers are now able to enjoy the flavor profile and aromatics of specific cannabis strains without the intoxicating psychoactive effects that marijuana is known for. How neat is that?

A Brighter, Greener Future With True Blue Terpenes

Plain and simple, the future of cannabis-derived isolated terpenes is a bright one, and we here at True Blue Terpenes are on the forefront of terpene innovation. From your favorite strain profiles to natural flavors, our food-grade extracts are ready to go when you are. So why not dive into the world of terpenes? Shop our pure terpenes for sale today.

As a global leader in terpene technology and flavors, we are dedicated to providing superior quality products and service. A constant drive to innovate and marry technology with nature is at the core of our DNA.